Wednesday, November 05, 2008

"When results confirmed what many had only dared to hope, celebrations erupted and many reflected on the implications of a black man elected to the highest office in the country, the same country that less than 50 years ago denied blacks the right to vote.

'They were hung, honey. Their homes were burned down,' said Merlene Jackson, a 65-year-old poll worker at Morning Star Baptist Church in Mattapan, referring to violence she heard about as a girl growing up in Valdosta, Ga. Today, 'they're coming in and no one is hurting them, no one is shooting them down. I never thought I would see this. It's just joy all down my soul. When you are down so long, you don't think you can get up, and this is the unreachable.'"

I walked into my office this morning and a colleague, a 50-year-old African American woman got up from her desk to hug me. She started to cry. So did I. I don't know the depth of the pain, the suffering. But I am proud to be a part of change.

It is such a great moment. So many congratulations have come our way (being Americans in an international community) you almost start to be as proud as if you alone had accomplished it yourself! I am sooooooo proud of all of us for helping to enact the change!!